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February 12, 2021
Arguments between employees are nothing new. As long as you have different people with different points of view working together, someone is bound to disagree with someone else at some point. It’s inevitable.
The value of having a wide range of viewpoints far outweighs the difficulties you’ll experience when workers disagree. The key is taking swift action to address conflicts and deciding what steps you will take to improve the situation.
How to resolve workplace conflicts
By following these steps, you’ll be able to resolve workplace conflicts like a pro:
Schedule individual time.
Set time aside for each person involved in the conflict. When an employee can talk to you separately, they may feel much more at ease to discuss what has happened.
Gather impressions.
Each person may see the conflict differently. Be a good listener and let the involved parties describe what has occurred from their individual point of view. Ask the person to take their emotions out of the situation, and simply describe what has happened.
Ask for a solution.
Do the employees have an idea of how things can be improved? Ask each involved employee how they would solve the situation if they could. What would be the best possible outcome?
Require employees to agree.
Once you have all the information, gather the involved employees together to discuss how to fix the issue. Ask them to agree to the solution that is decided.
Set consequences.
What happens if employees break their promise to adhere to a solution, and the situation happens again? It’s important to set consequences for negative actions and stick to them.
Be ready to say goodbye
If an employee is unable to play by the rules and consistently upsets other employees, it may be time to find a replacement. Disrupting workflow and halting productivity is not worth holding onto an employee.
Inter-Connect can help
If you need support with a contracted worker, your recruiter is a valuable resource. And if you’re in search of new workers, check out Inter-Connect. We’ll work with you to understand your staffing needs and find employees who fit.